Apparatus for directly producing metals from ores



APPARATUS FOR DIRECTLY PRODUCING METALS FROM ORES Filed 001;. 26, 1940 31Sheets-Sheet l /n venzor:

J. LOHSE 2,344,440

APPARATUS FOR DIRECTLY PRODUCING METALS FROM ORES.

March 14, 1944.

Filed 001;. 26, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 14, 1944. J. LOHSE {JUCING METALS FROM ORES APPARATUS FOR DIRECTLY PRO 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 26, 1940 Patented Mar. 14, 1944 APPARATUS FOR DIRECTLY PRODUCING METALS FROM ORES Julius Lohse, Berlin, Germany; vested in the Alien Property (Justodian Application October 26, 1940, In Germany April Serial No. 363,041 4, 1936 14 Claims. (Cl. 266-10) My invention relates to apparatus for directly producing pig iron and steel from ores, and has for its object to provide an improved apparatus by which a finished product may be made by applying operations that follow one another uninterruptedly.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved metallurgical apparatus for directly producing metals from ores wherein the several chambered parts of the apparatus are coupled or joined together so that the ore and metal removed therefrom may pass through its several stages of treatment directly from one chamber to the other until the final stage is reached, without being exposedto the atmosphere and without material change of temperature.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the character stated which is designed so that from the time of introducing the charge up to the production of the finished product, the various stages of producing the pig iron and steel, or electric steel, succeed one another uninterruptedly without heat loss and without requiring interposed conveying operations between the stages.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus or plant for the direct continuous production of copper from sulphide ores, which plant comprises a plurality of rotary furnaces serving for preroasting copp'er ores, a furnace part attached to the preroasters, a rotary roasting drum built into the furnace part, a rotary nozzle operated smelting drum, and a rotary heating and refining drum. 7

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows an axial longitudinal section of a rotary furnace plant constructed according to my invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on the line of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line III-III of Figure 1;

Fig. 4 shows a rotary furnace plant according to my invention including apparatus for pretreat-e ing the ore; and

Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line V-V, of Fig. 4.

In the apparatus as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, there is provided the tube I through which is conveyed under air pressure of from 5 to 6 atmospheres, constituents of the calculated substantially,

a nozzle 3 in which the finely ground material of the charge is mixed under atmospheric pressure with heating oil introduced under a pressure of approximately 40 atmospheres, or fuel gas under bearings 5 charge reduced by grinding or in any other suitable manner to a particle fineness of 10 mm.or less, into a burner 2. This burner is provided with encirclesthe presmelter,

a pressure of from 5 to 6 atmospheres. material is projected from the burner nozzle into a heater unit 6 which is supported on suitable for rotation by the electric motor 6.

The burner 4 has a jacket 1, the surface of which is channeled longitudinally with respect to the apparatus so that the flameof the burning material will issue from the rotating heater along a spiral path.

The numeral 8 designates the horizontally disposed elongated preheater cylinder or furnace which is slightly tapered, as illustrated, and which has the rotating heater 4 disposed within its narrower end or disposed to discharge the whirling flame into the narrow end, as illustrated. This presmelter is supported for rotation on its longitudinal axis refractory brick or other refractory material,

charge, impinges as it moves toward the larger end of the presmelter. Disposed above the presmelter structure adjacent the larger end thereof is a storage hopper 9 in which is placed granular ore material having a particle size preferably of from 10 to 30 mm. and the ore is fed downwardly through a pendulum feeder l0 and feeder shovel II to a drying and preheating jacket I 2 which as illustrated. This jacket is of substantially the same diameter throughout so that the space between the jacket and the presmelter structure gradually increases toward the narrower end of the presmelter so that the ore introduced into the Jacket will be gradually worked toward the inlet end of the presmelter where it will enter from the preheater jacket through the inlet opening l3. Thus, the

The fine highly refractory lining and is lined throughout with l5, as illustrated, so that the molten o're mass will gradually pass from the presmelter into the collector chamber IS. The collector chamber is of sufficient size and depth to insure desired separation of the slag and pig iron. The slag flows on top of the molten iron and continuously flows over the edge of the opening of the tapered end wall of the collector cylinder into cars or other suitable receptacles, as indicated at I1, by which cars the slag may be conveyed to a waste dump.

A tap hole I1" is also provided in the tapered end wall of the collector cylinder to permit, at the necessary stage, the rapid discharge of pig iron, into suitable receivers, not shown.

The numerals l8 and Ill designate a traveling platform upon which the chambered cylinders l5 and iii are mounted together with parts of the apparatus hereinafter to be described. By this means, the collector and mixing chamber, together with the purifying chamber, can be readily separated from the presmelter structure when desired.

Rotation of the cylinders l5 and I6 is effected through the medium of the electric motor drive structure which is conventionally illustrated and generally indicated by the numeral l9.

, The cylinders I5 and I6 have interposed therebetween an annular wall, as shown, through which are formed the axially directed channels [6 which are preferably of square section. This annular wall forms a dam partition against which the molten material graduallyrises until it reaches the level where it can pass through the channels or passageways it into the fining or purifying chamber or compartment l6.

As illustrated, the compartment or chamber It; has its wall formed to have the annular corrugations 20, while the outlet end of the chamber l6.

has the terminal lip corrugation over which the molten'pig iron flows in passing from the purposes.

fining or purifying chamber. These corrugations 23 form an inner terraced face for the furnace shell and there are, consequently, formed between the corrugations annular channels through which open the annular series of nozzle holes 2|.

Around the portion of the structure having the nozzle holes 2|, is an outer furnace jacket made of strong boiler plate which is correspondingly perforated and which has its outside surface turned or ground over a prescribed width. This plate is indicated by the reference character 2|.

The ground surface of the plate 2| is surrounded by a two-part cast iron wind box 22 which is provided with'stufilng boxes 23 and a supply connection 23 for air or air enriched in oxygen.

As shown in Figure 2, the perforated portion of the outer furnace jacket 2i is covered through approximately three-fourths of the circumference of the furnace structure by a thin resilient steel band 24 which is lightly forced against the rotatizrg furnace jacket which it encircles, by springs At the outlet end of the purifying chamber there is disposed the cylindrical refining chamber 26 into the open end of which the lipped end or terminal corrugation 20- of the purifying chamber It, extends, as shown, to guide the molten pig iron into the refining chamber 26.

The metallurgical operations in the fining space It are as follows: v

The pig iron containing numerous impurities, as sulphur, phosphorus, carbon, and slag-inclusions, flows slowly through the square channels tuyeres by a compressor Ilia. over the annular channels mentioned,.'arranged one below the other in terrace fashion, in a uniform thin stream and is subjected from below in known manner to the action of a blast of air rich in oxygen which may be supplied to the of an oxygen plant, not sulphur content, partly removed already in the presmelter 8, is now completely eliminated through the action of oxygen, and in the same way phosphorus combines with the oxygen and escapes in gaseous form. The waste gases may be utilized in the usual way for heating Finely ground lime powder may be blown into the tuyeres in known manner, whereby calcium sulphide or calcium phosphates will be formed. The slag together with the decarburized steel floats to the third furnace chamber 26, and, after an electro-thermal treatment by the apparatus hereinafter set forth during which the last traces of phosphorus and sulphur are removed, is discharged as so-called electric slag through a taphole and filled into cars..

a The third furnace unit, or refining furnace chamber 26 into which flows the steel decarburized in the fining space I6, is rotated by a motor 21 and rests with its sets of rollers and turning means on the travelling platform I821. The travelling platforms Ilia, lab, are interconnected by a suitable shown; so that in case of, repairs to'be made on the end walls of the chamben 26 or the electro-thermal heating system thereof the chamber may be uncoupled and drawn out as far as required. The refining chamber 26 possesses a strong sheet metal furnace jacket having a silica brick lining 28 laid on a heat insulating support and provided with grooves. On this silica lining 23 are wound several layers of strong copper rope 29,'which are electrically separated from one another. The

shown. The

ropes represent therefore coils and are connected to strong copper slip rings 30a, 30b, 30c disposed outside the furnace. Steel briquettes 3| are embedded in a resistance mass 32 which is a poor current conductor, highly refractory and rammed in in sufiicient thickness over the copper rope coils. These steel briquettes 3| can be easily withdrawn, for repairs or removal. The electric heating system described by way of example represents a-high frequency furnace, which is operated at three-phase or alternating current of medium or high frequency. The metal bath is heated from above by the burner gases, from the side by the radiationof the revolving front face of the furnace and from below by the induced bottom currents.

With the aid of this device chemico-metallurgical refining can be performed asin the known induction furnaces with respect to recarburization and the production of alloy steels. Substances required for refining are introduced through a door 33 below which an auxiliary taphole 33 with spout is provided, though a finished charge is usually discharged by turning the furnace from right to left, seen from the front, whereas during the heating and filling turning in the other direction is required, as indicated in Fig. 3. Automatic discharge for pourin or filling iron molds placed on a casting bogie, is effected for instance by means of a worm 35 built up of highly refractory hollow bricks and inserted in the end wall in the former an Archimedean spiral. The worm 35 discharges into a conical outlet pipe 36, also consisting of a refractory material and exchangeably arranged in a waste heat connection 31 separable coupling, not

gral chamber sections 43 -At the point of which does not participate in the rotation. A flap 38 normally closes up the outlet 36. The elbow 31 may be preferably connected to a waste heat boiler, not shown, and equipped with an induced draft chimney and flue dust catcher. The casting worm 35 and the discharge pipe 36"are uniformly heated from the furnace by their position so as to avoid harmful elongation. .The heating of the furnace chamber 26 by fuel gases and bottom currents effects a perceptible saving in current compared with all types of known electric furnaces, which saving is due to the arrangement of the three furnace spaces in the manner described to form a unitary structure.

The not inconsiderable amounts of waste heat can be utilized for boiler and a steam turbodynamo, operation or in any other suitable man-= ner.

The rotary furnace plant shown in Figs. 4 and 5 embraces, in addition to the production of pig iron and steel, the pretreatment of the ores.

This plant comprises an upper furnace drum A which serves for pretreating the fine and coarse ores, and the lowerdirectly connected drums B, C and D arranged on a common axis are used for Figure 1. The upper and lower drums are connected by a closed transition chamber E. At the upper end of the drum A an auxiliary burner F and a rotating flame divider G like those of Figure 1 are provided, and the upper end of the lower series of drums is fitted with a rotatable and swingable main burner H. Those parts of thisfurnace plant serving forthe direct production of the finished product from pretreated ores are generally of the same construction as the parts of Figs. 1-3.

The pretreating drum A is in two inteand 44 and is supplied with fine ore from the hopper 4i through the burner 'F and with coarser material from the hopper 42 throughthe rotating flame divider G. Due to the action of the flame of the burner F, the fine and coarse ores are discharged into the drying, roasting and calcining zone of the chamber 43 which leads directly into the chamber 44 eter, and in which a reducing zone is formed. transition between these two zones 43 and 44 means is provided for introducing reduction coal which, as can be particularly clearly seen in Fig. 5, comprises a helical track 66 connected with the outer circumference of the drum A, which opening with a radial orifice which is of larger diamoutside the drum A and, during rotation thereof,

passing through a filling receptacle 6| An opening 62 of the track at the other end lies withm the inner wall of the drum A. When thelatter revolves in the direction of the arrow, the

60 on passing through the receptacle 6| picks up reduction coal which, during further rotation of the drum, moves through the opposite opening 62 under theore bed in the drum A, which bed, due to the inclination of the drum and its rotation, gradually advances from the higher to the lower end of the drum. The length of the reducing chamber 44 is so dimensioned relative to that of the roasting and calcining chamber 3 that a continuous sequence of operations up to'the' contracted outlet end 45 of the reducinggchamber n is obtained, the con tracted outlet end 45 opens with interposed seal- -recarburization and possibly stated It. The chamber E is movably supported on rails 41 and is fitted below with a redisintegrator 48 and a down pipe 49 which communicates with the preheating space of the premelting furnace B through an annular entering member 50 provided with packing means 50a. The gases formed in the reduction furnace A carry valuable waste heat and are guided through a pipe 5| to the combustion space of a waste heat boiler 52, and the protective arch Sla serves for preventing reoxidation of the treated material and insures safe discharge. 1

The furnace head of the drum B supports the main burner H which can be moved so that it will cover with the flame the inner wall of the integrator 48 a piping 53a leads to the coal dust supply piping 53 of the burner H, so that the powdery matter produced in the disintegrator 48, owing to thesuction developed in the burner, is directly conveyed in a state of suspension to the flame. The main burner H is secured to the fur the refining unit D, in which, by superheating and induced currents, the remaining sulphur and phosphorus, through the addition of quicklime,

are separated in the form ofelectric slag, and also alloying may take place. The waste gases developed during these steps and also in the chambers B, C, D pass through a hot blast stove 52a arranged in front of the waste heat boiler 52. The parts C and D are separately driven by a three-phase motor arrangement 59, 59a and mounted on a travelling platform 59b which is used during repairs. The tuyere member for drum C is removable to permit renewal of the lining.

In the use of the apparatus continuity of the process can be attained without difficultyby correspondingly dimensioning the chambers A, B, C, D as to length and imparting properly related speeds to them. Instead of being superposed as shown, the pretreating chamber A may also be disposed on the side or in-front of the smelting fining and refining drums axially fitting into one another. In this case, the transition chamber E would remain; though slightly changed in structure.

- What I claim Letters Patent:

1. A rotary furnace plant of the character comprising, a rotary smelting drum, a roas new and desire to secure by ingmeans 46, into the closed transition chamber constant flow of molten rotary fining drum, said rotary drums being arranged for turning on a common axis, the drums having directly connected openings whereby a material may proceed through the drums a flame producing burner directed axially into the smelting drum, "means for feeding disintegrated screened ores into the smelting drum with the flame ofsaid flame burner and for supp ying said burner with a reducing agent, said fining drum being fitted with air tuyeres, means for feeding coarser ore material and disposed on a common into said smelting drum adjacent'to but in front of said burner, and means between said collecting drum and said fining drum for transferring the molten material in the form of a shallow stream into said fining drum. r

2. A rotary furnace plant, said plant comprising a rotary smelting drum, a rotary collecting and slag separating drum, and a rotary fining drum, said rotary drums being interconnected axis for the constant fiow of molten material therethrough a flame producing burner directly axially into the smelting drum at the end remote from the other drums, means for feeding disintegrated screened ores into the smelting drum with the flame of said flame burner. means in connection with said burner for supplying said burner with a reducing agent, said fining drum being fitted with air tuyeres, means for feeding coarser ore material into said smelting'drum adjacent to and in front of said burner, means between said collecting drum and said fining drum for transferring the molten material in the form of a shallow stream into said fining drum, a rotary refining .drum axially alined with and coupled to said fining drum and arranged to receive the fined product at a level lower than the level of the fining drum,

means for subjecting the received products to additional for continually discharging the refined product from said refining drum.

3. A rotary furnace plant, said plant comprising a rotary smelting drum, a rotary collecting and slagseparating drum, and a rotary fining drum, said rotary drums being interconnected I and disposed on a common axis for the constant. flow of molten material therethrough a flame producing burner directed axially into the smelting drum at the end remote from the other drums, means for feeding disintegrated screened .ores into the smelting drum with the fiame of said flame burner, means in connection with said burner for supplying said burner with a reducing agent, said fining drum being fitted with air tuyeres, means for feeding coarser ore material into said smelting drum adjacent to and in front of said burner, a rotary refining drum connected to said fining drum to receive the fined product therefrom, means in connection with said refining drum for subjecting the received product to additional heat, means for discharging the refined product from said refining drum, and a heating chamber for the coarser ore to be fed into said smelting drum adjacent its burner, said heating chamber enmantling'said smelting drum and having a material supporting wall sloping toward the burner end of the smelting drum whereby the ore to in opposition to the direction of movement of the material-within said smelting drum.

4. A rotary furnace plant, comprising, a rotary smelting drum, a combined rotary collecting and rotary fining drum, interconnected and disposed on a common axis for the constant flow of molten material therethrough a flame producing burner directed axially into the smelting drum at the end remote from the other drums, means for feeding disintegrated screened ores into the smelting drum with the fiame of said flame burner, means in connection with'said burner with a' reducing agent, said fining drum being fitted with air tuyres, means for feedin coarser ore material into said smelting drum adjacent to and in front of said burner, means heat in the refining drum, and means burner for supplying said be heated is caused to move said rotary drums being in connection with each rotatable drum for actuating each drum independently of the others, and a car for said combined collecting and fining drum whereby the latter is rendered movable in-' dependent of said rotatable smelting drum.

5. A rotary furnace plant comprising a rotary roasting drum, a flame producing burner at one end of said rotary drum, means for feeding screened ores to said burner, means disintegrated ores into the fiame produced by said burner, a stationary externally closed transition chamber at the other end of said roasting drum, a rotary smelting drum arranged in parallel relation to said roasting drum and having a feed end, a connection between the transition chamber'and the feed end of said smelting drum by which roasted ores are transferred to the .latter, a rotary collecting and slag separating drum and a rotary fining drum disposed on a common axis with one another and with the smelting drum and so arranged that a constant fiow of molten material passes therethrough a fiame producing burner at the said feed end of the smelting drum, means in connection with said burner for supplying said burner with a reducing agent and with a fuel, means between said collecting drum and said fining drum for transferring the collected molten material to said fining drum, and air tuyres for introd cing air into the metal in the fining drum.

6. A rotary furnace plant, comprising a rotary roasting drum, a flame producing burner at one end of said rotary'drum, means for feeding screened ores to said-burner, means for feeding distintegratedores into the fiame produced by said burner, a stationary externally closed transition chamber at the other end of said roasting drum,.means in connection with said transition chamber for withdrawing from the roasting drum the gaseous products formed therein, a rotary smelting drum arranged in parallel relation to said roasting drum and having a feed end, a connection between said transition chamber and,

the feed end of said smelting drum by which roasted material is transferredto the latter, a rotary collecting and slag separating drum and a rotary fining drum disposed on a common axis with one another and with the smelting drum and so arranged that a constant flow of molten material passes therethrough a flame producing burner at the said feed end of the means in connection with said disintegrating means for feeding fine roasted parts from the disintegratoi to the burner.

'7. A rotary furnace plant, comprising a rotary roasting drum, a fiame producing burner at one end of said rotary drum, means for feeding screened ores to said burner, means for feeding disintegrated ores into the flame produced by said burner, a stationary externally closed transition chamber at the other end of said roasting drum, a rotary smelting drum arranged in parallel relation to said roasting drum and having a feed end, a connection between said transition chamber and the feed end of said smelting drum, a rotary collecting and slag separating drum and for feeding a rotary fining drum disposed on a common axis from the jacket adjacent the smaller end of the with one another and with the smelting drum smelting drum.

and so arranged that a constant flow of molten I 10. A structure as set forth in claim 9 includmaterial passes therethrough a flame producing mechanism for disintegrating the ore prior ing burner at the said feed end of the smelting 5 to its introduction into the Jacket, and means for said burner, a stationary externally closed transicling the refilling drum r heating t same tion chamber at the other end of said roasting. dependently of the heating action of flame by which roasted ores are transferred to the the reflmng'dmmismtatmg' m a rotary collecting and slag separating 12. A furnace structure as set forth in claim 11 drum and a rotary fining drum disposed on a in which the refining drum heating mean comc m n axis with one another and it t prises an electrical Jacket around the refining smelting drum and so arranged that a constant drum and turning therewith; and means for flow of molten material passes therethrough a ducting electric currenttosald Jacket 11 flame producin b r means in connection 13. A rotary furnace as set forth in claim with said burner for supplying said burner with in which the means for conducting the molten a reducing agent, means between said collecting material to e Q t 01' the refining drumcomdrum and said fining drum for transferring the prises spiral conduit having end opening Y ing into said outlet. means wlthm the transition chambgr for 14. In a furnace structure ofthe character deintegrating the rosaped or 1 passmg' there" scribed an elon ated cylindrical body of substanthrough, .nieans'in said transition chamber for tiauy constant diameter from one end through a withdrawmg gaseous products from the f portion of its length and of increased diameter drum the rotary roasting drum comprismg through the remaining portion of its length, the enlarged section for collecting the mastmg portion of smaller diameter constituting a roastt 'lar er diameter the said one end for feeding the roasting charge 0 mg chamber and the per ion of g ber, flame roduca deoxidizlng agent, means within said transition constituting a reducing cham a p i a axial] therethrough oxidation by gaseous products formed during the i fl fifigfi tfig gi fig hamr, means for roasting treatment" and a pipe Onnected introducing ore into \the roasting chamber with tween the outlet side of the disintegrating means the flame ;said cyfindrica] body being supported and the burner of said smelting chamber for at a. slight inclination and for rotation on its long carrying fine particles from the disintegrator axis, nd being open at the end of the reducing into the flame within the smelting drum. hamb r rem t from the burner for the dis- 9. In a rotary furnace structure of the charcharge of roasted ore, and means for introducecter described. n lu in a plurality of drums ing a granular reducing agent into the reducing supported in axial alinement for rotation, asmeltchamber comprising a conduit arranged spirally ins drum of gradually increasing diameter from around the axis of the cylindrical body adjacent one end to e e he end f er i e e the end of the reducing chamber nearest the constituting the discharge end and opening into roasting chamber, said conduit having one end a second drum, a flame producing burner dis- 5opening into the reducing chamber and having a posed at the narrower end of the smelting drum portion extended tangentially fromthe exterior and directed axially therethrough, means for insurface of the reducing chamber and open to retroducing ore into the drum through said burner, ceive the said granular material, and a receptacle a preheater jacket encircling the smelting drum for the granular material arranged to have the and extending substantially the entire length open tangential end or the conduit intermittentthereof. means for introducing ore into said iack- 1y pass therethrough to pick p m l during et adjacent the larger end of the smelting drum. the rotation of the cylindrical E and means for introducing ore into the drum JULIUS LOHS ing burner directed into the roasting chamberv 

